South African motorcycle racing icon AJ Venter has completed his 2025 Isle of Man TT campaign with a series of record-breaking performances, proudly representing South Africa at the world’s most dangerous and demanding road race. Now in his ninth year competing at the TT, Venter describes this season as a turning point.
“Even my worst day this year was better than my best day last year. Everything just felt more dialled in – from the bike, to the team, to the mindset – and that’s all thanks to the incredible support I received from Zunaid Moti and FuturExotics. It was the most prepared, focused, and professionally supported I’ve ever been,” he said.
Backed by luxury automotive brand FuturExotics, in the first year of a three-year sponsorship deal, Venter competed in both the Superbike TT and Superstock TT races – two of the event’s most prestigious categories. He was also registered for the Senior TT, traditionally regarded as the blue-riband event of the Isle of Man. However, due to adverse weather conditions, the Senior TT was cancelled for the first time in the race’s 117-year history.
Venter placed 15th out of 54 riders in the Superbike TT, and 21st and 24th out of 57 in the Superstock TT, going head-to-head with some of the world’s top factory and privateer teams.
He kicked off the event by reaching a top speed of 304km/h during the first night of practice, signifying an exciting personal milestone and his first time breaking the 300km/h barrier. This performance set the tone for a powerful showing across the two-week racing festival.
In a significant moment for South African motorsport, Venter further cemented his place in the TT record books with a new personal best lap speed of 204km/h average, officially making him the fastest South African to ever race the Isle of Man TT. The performance also earned him the distinction of becoming the 61st fastest rider in TT history since the race began in 1907.
His all-South African crew, managed and funded through the FuturExotics partnership, also delivered a standout performance – clocking the third-fastest pit stop in the Superbike TT at just 53 seconds, outperforming dozens of international and factory-backed teams.
“This was a huge year for us,” said Venter. “We’ve never had this kind of support before. With FuturExotics, I was finally able to focus on performance instead of logistics, fundraising, or running around behind the scenes. This was the first time I could just race, and it made all the difference. I’m incredibly thankful to Zunaid Moti and the entire team for believing in this journey.”
Zunaid Moti, founder of FuturExotics, said the experience was equally exhilarating for the brand.
“This was an absolutely thrilling and high-octane event to be a part of,” said Moti. “Seeing AJ go head-to-head with global factory teams and still deliver such a strong showing proves the depth of South African talent. This was just year one of our three-year partnership, and if this is what we could achieve together in our first outing, I have no doubt that next year we’re going to be even bigger and better.”
The 2025 Isle of Man TT will go down in history as only the second time in 118 years of competition that races were postponed and cancelled due to exceptionally poor weather conditions. But despite the disruptions, Venter and his team-maintained focus throughout, and delivered a consistent, calculated campaign under extreme pressure.
For Venter, competing in the TT is about more than personal achievement, representing an important opportunity to inspire the next generation of racing hopefuls.
“Back home, I work with a lot of young riders, and I want them to see what’s possible. I’m just a normal South African who shows up and does the work. If I can do this, so can they. That’s what drives me. And we’re just getting started.”
With the 2025 Isle of Man TT Race now complete, preparations are already underway for year two of the FuturExotics partnership, as AJ Venter continues building a motorsport legacy on the world stage and paving the road for future generations of local motorsports champions.
